I know a lot of similar discussions on the below subject have gone on but since the state of baseball finance has come up again 9and not much else to talk about right now) I thought i would throw this out there just for the heck of it.... I have never understood why the game of baseball in modern times has not gone to a basic standard pay for all players and then paid based on performance (actually in some ways it does but then it goes awry with to many long term contracts and complications). Example first year as a rookie $500,000 second year if a player makes the 25 man he goes to 1 million then a 1 million a year raise every year after until he reaches 4 million as a base pay for MLB. This is the same for all players no more arbitration or pay hearings . Now implement a performance schedule such as something like top tier you can make a additional 20 million if you hit 50 HR's stole 30 bases and hit over .310 then work the scale down accordingly. Same for pitchers such as a 20 game win season start it at the top what ever formula you want and move it down from there based on ERA and all the other pitching sabermetrics taken into consideration. I'm sure the mathematicians of the game could work things out pretty well if they really wanted to. Baseball is also one of the easier sports to pay on individual performance and stats. This now pays a player (yearly) as to what he is truly worth season to season. There would be less trades and more incentive for players to really give a 100% all the time with out distractions and contract negotiations that would be come obsolete under this system. Teams would no longer get stuck with long term contracts for older players that are regressing. Younger guys would now get paid for there true production and value. Older players would probably be given more consideration and opportunity if there was less risk and more up-side if he can still perform in the short term. A few negatives that would have to be over come, under this system there would also have to be a tighter revenue share between teams and the league If more players than expected hit higher achievements it could cost a lot more money and now a small market team could theoretically have a 250 million dollar pay roll over night for a winning season but isn't' that the point? If a team had such a payroll they probably went to the WS. This is where a revenue share program to compensate unexpected performance could work. I also believe teams could get insurance of some kind from unrealistic but possible outcome of say 5 guys hitting 50 or more HR's and stealing 30 bases on the same team and each owed 20 million for the year. I have no idea what finances could be actually worked out and my above examples where just that talking points only and for discussion but a system of some kind paying players based on performance could work. The only players it would hurt is the one's making ridiculous money on a long term contract that is getting paid huge money for past performance and now is playing poorly or just average and will probably have trouble getting traded as a result of these detrimental contracts (this years FA class as example that not many teams seem to want to pay for). Yah probably to radical of a idea to ever work and since the rest of the business world usually pays it's top tier Management bonuses based on performance why would we expect MLB to then do it? Long term contracts could still be given but a player under my example above that was in say his 7th year with a team and only making 5 million (still not bad) but obviously 4 million base and only 1 million over for performance tells you he did not have a very good year but a lot better and certainly more reasonable than to be paying him say 18 million under the current way players are getting paid for long term ridiculous money. I do not believe the sport can keep it's financial stability if it keeps going the way it is. There is better options for both management and players that will benefit the sport and it's fans. I use Ryan Braun as the poster child for this discussion. For the last 10 years he has been the face of the franchise and loved by the fans here in Milwaukee. He should be ending his career on a high note but regardless what he has given to the team the only discussion about him is how to trade him to get his salary off the books. This just seems sad to me. I know Braun is crying all the way to the bank but I would also have to believe he loves Milwaukee as well and probably does not like to see a town he has played in as a star and lived to like hearing the call for his head on the trade platter because of money. Under the above program Braun could still make his 20 million a year (and this year 2018) earning it and helping the Brewers to a WS where all are happy!